The Twins have become a "desired offseason destination," with P Lance Lynn the "latest in a series of players who chose the Twins over competing -- sometimes better -- offers," according to Phil Miller of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. The "reason is simple," according to Twins P Zach Duke, another of the team's seven free-agent signees. Duke: "The feeling around the game is, we’re going for it. We’ve got a great bunch here, and we can do some great things. That’s attractive to people." Miller notes this winter’s "bizarrely frigid market for available talent ultimately has worked to the Twins’ advantage, to the point where some free agents grew intent upon becoming Twins and wouldn’t take no for an answer." When Lynn -- like 1B Logan Morrison before him -- "didn’t receive sufficiently lucrative long-term contract offers that they had expected, they eventually elected to accept shorter, cheaper deals and try the market again later." The moves have been "mostly applauded by Twins fans, and they are not the only ones growing enthusiastic" about the '18 season. The "buzz in the Twins’ own clubhouse is unmistakable, too" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 3/12). YAHOO SPORTS' Tim Brown noted this is where a "confounding offseason meets the opportunistic Twins." Where a "bright, patient front office ... allows the market to come to it, and walks away with a DH and a No. 3 starter" for something short of $20M (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 3/11).
TEAM-FRIENDLY: Free agent 3B Mike Moustakas signed a one-year, $6.5M deal to return to the Royals, and in K.C., Pete Grathoff noted Moustakas' deal was "smaller than most expected." But it "worked out in the Royals' favor" (KANSASCITY.com, 3/10). Also in K.C., Vahe Gregorian wrote Moustakas was "irresistible at this price when you combine what he can produce with the intangible values of having back a fan favorite who plays with fire and can serve as a mature ... role model of being raised Royal" (KANSASCITY.com, 3/10).
